The Woodlawn Post Office will most likely be closed tonight and tomorrow after suffering extensive damage Tuesday afternoon.

Advertisement

At approximately 2:45 p.m., a 2007 Honda Accord driven by Suemay Melcher, 75, of Woodlawn, plowed into the side of the building, knocking a hole into the wall of the building, busting out the glass front door, and causing damage to the building’s foundation and supporting columns.

According to State Trooper P.K. Cheek, Melcher was attempting to back out, but had the vehicle in drive instead of reverse when she slammed into the building. Cheek said he would not charge Melcher.

“She thought she was on the brake and it was the gas and she pushed harder. It was private property and nobody was hurt,” Cheek said. “Accidents happen.”

As far as damages to the Woodlawn Post Office, located at 32 Coulson Church Road, he said he would leave that to the insurance company.

Hillsville Postmaster Jeff Richardson also serves as postmaster of the Woodlawn Post Office. He is currently trying to determine a plan of action to handle the mail there as the building is currently not safe for customers.

“I am sure it is going to be unavailable tonight because this is a 24-hour lobby zone to get mail, so tonight for sure that will be shut down,” Richardson said on Tuesday. “We will try to figure something out tonight for sure to try to get the mail over to Hillsville where people can at least pick it up because I just don’t know how long this could go on. We have to have a safe building, and you can see how the wall is bowed and the foundation is damaged. The columns are busted out. We will have to have this safe for people, traffic to come in and out somehow. More than likely it will be closed tonight and tomorrow. Beyond that, I should know something tomorrow about what we are going to do.”